GNOME files defense against patent troll

GNOME files defense against patent troll(gnome.org)

357 points by se7entime 6 years ago | 41 comments

danShumway 6 years ago |

> We want to send a message to all software patent trolls out there — we will fight your suit, we will win, and we will have your patent invalidated.

[...]

> Third: our counterclaim. We want to make sure that this isn’t just dropped when Rothschild realizes we’re going to fight this.

Good on them.

Patent trolls thrive on hoping companies will take the easy route out. It's the same model as ransomware. I don't hold it against people who find themselves in a difficult position and can't afford to fight, but capitulating to these demands encourages trolls to try again. I have a lot of respect for anyone who's willing to go out of their way to make a patent troll regret filing a claim.

In case people aren't reaching the bottom of the post, Gnome has a donation link up for legal funds: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/gnome-foundation-inc/gn...

t0astbread 6 years ago | |

Or if you want to donate via regular bank transfer (without Plaid) you can do that as described here: https://www.gnome.org/support-gnome/donate/

It won't go specifically to the patent case though.

xvilka 6 years ago |

The people behind patent trolls should be put in jail. Essentially they are dangerous for society.

gnode 6 years ago | |

Or at least such lawsuits should be recognised as the vexatious and frivolous litigation which they are, and sanctions made accordingly (pay the defendants' costs, and disbarment for repeated cases).

kitsunesoba 6 years ago |

Just donated $50. Their fundraising platform supports Apple/Google Pay, so it’s super quick and easy. Don’t even have to give them card info if you don’t want to.

ansible 6 years ago | |

I was trying to find a way to do that from my desktop system, and could not.

I ended up following the link via my Android phone to use Google Pay. Welcome to the mobile world!

Insert a joke here about how I'm so old that I remember what it was like to buy things on a desktop system.

alias_neo 6 years ago | |

How does this work? I've been trying to donate, desktop doesn't give me any option other than bank account, and it doesn't support my UK bank, and even though I have Google Pay on Android, I don't get any such option in Firefox Mobile.

kitsunesoba 6 years ago | | |

I don’t have an Android device handy but you might need to use chrome to get Google Pay.

tumetab1 6 years ago | |

Pretty cool feature that I have never used before.

Still beware that with Apple Pay gives out information like email and billing address.

brokensegue 6 years ago |

seems the relevant patent is http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=H...

patented by this guy https://www.intellectualventures.com/buzz/insights/inventor-...

ipozgaj 6 years ago | |

It seems that the person in question was #2 on the "patent trolls top list" in 2016

https://www.rpxcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/05/t...

Smithalicious 6 years ago | | |

Heh, it seems like being #2 on a scumbag top list is the worst place you can be; you don't even get to claim you're the biggest scumbag around.

dahart 6 years ago | |

I read a little bit of it and started to wonder how iCloud isn’t prior art. Then I noticed that there’s a prior patent that’s nearly the same, but filed many years earlier (8437797) and they’ve used it to file against Apple and many others... Panasonic, Motorola, Netgear, etc. http://npe.law.stanford.edu/patent/8437797

msadowski 6 years ago | |

Here is what I don't understand about this: where is innovation in this patent? It seems like some of the digital photo frames could be used as a prior art.

As an outsider it looks to me that the US patent system is seriously limiting your innovation.

ansible 6 years ago | | |

Few people around here won't think that software patents (at least) are a cancer upon society, draining resources and wasting everyone's time.

giancarlostoro 6 years ago | |

Filed first in 2012. I bet theres plenty of prior art. And if that programs from before.... Whoops!

Reminds me of the patent / copyright troll from Silicon Valley. But worse, this guy "invents" things that already exist. I wish we could ban people (and their companies) from owning patents if they are found to be abusing the patenting system purely to not innovate but even worse they financially stall nonprofits who do innovate. Like seriously.

dqv 6 years ago |

I just donated $25. It was easy. Match me!

jaimex2 6 years ago | |

I'll see your $25 and raise you $50

guntars 6 years ago | | |

I’ll see your $50 and raise you $100

VMG 6 years ago | |

25 monthly until they are done

HappyJoy 6 years ago | |

done

derekp7 6 years ago |

I was wondering, since Gnome has a lot of development sponsored by Red Hat, and IBM now owns Red Hat, would IBM have any business interest in helping with the defense?

phkahler 6 years ago | |

IBM spent a fortune fighting SCO, but we shouldn't expect them to be the only ones.

dqpb 6 years ago |

Is there anything we can do as a community to go after Rothschild Patent Imaging and put them out of business?

jaimex2 6 years ago | |

Someone should get patent on patent trolling and go nuts suing them all.

pests 6 years ago | | |

You joke but I think IBM or someone similar did already get a patent on patent trolling.

pwg 6 years ago | |

Find a piece of prior art that invalidates their patents claims.

juanbyrge 6 years ago | |

I just donated $50 to their patent defense fund.

brokensegue 6 years ago | |

Maybe tell Leigh M. Rothschild what you think of his practices: Leigh@PatentMgmt.com

AdmiralAsshat 6 years ago | |

Regrettably, "the community" may not have standing to sue, however vile Rothschild may be.

sigzero 6 years ago | | |

Maybe not, but you can donate to the fund to help.

AstralStorm 6 years ago | | |

Class action would have standing, though you'd have to find all companies affected by frivolous suits over the invalid patents. This has been done against drug patents before, though I have no idea if they were successful.

E.g. https://www.classactionsreporter.com/antitrust/zytiga-and-pr...

nayuki 6 years ago |

Kudos to GNOME for standing up to the extortionist! This is similar to how Newegg fights patent trolls too, for example: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/01/patent-troll-rea...

vkaku 6 years ago |

Good for them. This is exactly how patent trolls should be handled.

dalaidunc 6 years ago |

Definitely I plan to donate, but it's important that this gets a lot of media attention. Patent trolls go through certain lax courts and judges who rule on the side of patent trolls an alarming number of times. If there is enough media attention around this then should there be any corrupt judges involved, they will have to think twice about their verdict as it will be closely scrutinized.

eneveu 6 years ago |

Tried to donate multiple times but I keep getting an error "donation processing failed" :/ Tried twice on mobile using Google Pay, then on desktop using a credit card, then again with uBlock origin disabled...

white-moss 6 years ago |

As one of (weekend) FLOSS software developer, I support this decision. Donated!

A system and methods for extracting value from a portfolio of assets, for example a patent portfolio, are described. By granting floating privileges described herein, a portfolio owner can extend an opportunity for obtaining an interest in selected assets from the portfolio to a client who lacks the resources to accumulate and maintain such a portfolio, in return for an annuity stream to the portfolio owner.